Lucy was sitting across from Lynn in their shared room on her bed, her older sister shuffling uncomfortably under her gaze. Lucy had suspicions, but that near tantrum had confirmed them all, Lynn was exactly like her. She knew what she wanted to say, but didn't know how best to word it. It was a sensitive issue for her when she realized, even though she was a dark romantic with a penchant for the taboo to start with, so she had no idea how to confront a girl who hadn't even seemed to realize her own feelings yet. Especially one like Lynn. Lynn had, to her knowledge, only attempted romance once, and it ended with her thinking the whole love thing was a dumb distraction. But there she was, close to hyperventilating at the thought she was going to lose their dearest brother because she couldn't dominate him physically like she had prior. So how best to approach it.

"If you want to make fun of me, hurry up and do it!" Lynn growled at her younger sister, "Lynn the loser, getting handled by her younger brother and freaking out because she's still an immature girl, desperately clinging on to the one person who puts up with her!"

"I'm not going to make fun of you, dear sister," Lucy stated before looking at her feet, "I too know the pains of loneliness and Lincoln's otherworldly hold on us in our want to escape it."

"English, spooky,"

"Lincoln's the only one that can put up with me long term too," Lucy admitted bashfully, "I... Lynn, are you in love with our brother?"

She decided that the best way to deal with the situation was to rip the band aide off, like many things with her dense sister, but Lynn looked at her with a confused disgust, "W-what the hell are you talking about, Lucy?! In love with Stinkin?! He's my brother for God's sake! That's disgusting!"

Lucy would've flinched at that last part were it Lincoln who said it, but she knew her sister was still constrained by the binds of society, "Confrontations of the truth usually are."

"Besides, who needs all that mushy love crap?! I'm trying to get to the Olympics here!"

Lucy sat, unmoving, for a brief moment, "Sigh. Let's try this another way. Picture, if you will, a world where Lincoln didn't exist, that instead of being our dear brother it was our neighbor who you played with instead."

"I don't want to be in a world were Lincoln's not my brother!" Lynn groaned, missing the point.

"Humor me," Lucy demanded, "Let's say the actions didn't change. Picture him doing everything Lincoln had always done for you. Helping you train. Putting up with all your crazy sports fusions-"

"Hey!"

"Even helping you with your... sportsmanship problems and helping you work out all your injuries, what about then."

"T-That's..." Lyn froze for a moment and thought about the scenario critically for a second.

Would it be the same? How could it? Sure, she had Margo and a couple of other friends and teammates that put up with her, even enjoy her company. But would they have been able to, like he had, if they lived close by? It was impossible to say for sure, but she could imagine him doing it. It was Lincoln after all. Every day after school she could imagine pestering the boy across the street for attention, like she had Lincoln, and him giving in. How could she not at some point develop a crush on someone like that? The longer she thought about it the redder her cheeks got.

"I-I... B-But..." she couldn't manage to say anything to discount Lucy's theory, "Okay, fine! So you have a point! But all that romance stuff is for chumps, so I doubt either of us would make a move anyway! I'd still be far too focused on my dreams regardless!"

Lucy smiled and stood up before sitting next to her sister, "You know Lynn, even if you're bullish, you're still a girl. I'd say that you're even attractive to a lot of men. You're athletic, strong, share a lot of interests with guys. You'd be a hell of a catch for sure."

Lynn blew a raspberry, before laughing, "Come on, Luce. It's Lincoln we're talking about! It took him damn near half a decade to fully admit his feelings to Ronnie, do you think he'd ever be able to handle the Lynnsanity in this crazy made up world of yours?!"

"He handled her pretty well earlier," Lucy reminded her, causing her to stop laughing, "You always said you'd never be interested in a man unless he could beat you. Picture the scenario again. Imagine you two were wrestling, and he manages to pin you. Heat of the moment his whole body is covering you..." Lucy watched as the hair on the back of Lynn's neck began to stand up, "You can't stop yourself, your legs wrap around him-"

"E-Enough-"

"You two gaze into each other's eyes for a brief moment-"

"Lucy! I said st-"

"Masculine instinct takes over for him as you both realize you're thinking the same thing-"

"Please-"

"His lips meet yours! He begins kissing down the back of your ear," she utilized her index finger across the area behind her ear, watching as her sister clinched her legs together for dear life, "Down to your neck-"

"-NO!" Lynn shouted as she stood up, "I have to go!"

Lucy watched as Lynn ran out of the room towards the bathroom and heard as the shower turned on. She smiled, knowing she had her. She just needed one final push, so Lucy grabbed her sinful poetry book and awaited Lynn's return as she flipped through the pages. Lynn on the other hand was having a breakdown in the cold shower. Sure, hypothetical situation and all that, but it was still Lincoln. Lucy told Lynn to imagine it being Lincoln doing all of that! The pretense being him not being related to her didn't matter when they were actually related in the real world! Her mind's eye had seen HIS body on top of her, seen HIS face descending on her, felt HIS lips on her neck! Her own brother's! But that wasn't why she ran away. She ran away because, despite reality, she liked it. She was dripping wet when she pulled off her boxers, all because of Lucy's stupid imaginary situation involving their brother. After she cooled off, she would get her back for that, but she needed to stop thinking about how much further it would've gone. She sank down in the shower, staring at the drain across from her.

"Stupid Lucy..." she mumbled, before adding, "Stupid Lincoln..."

It took her nearly a full 10 minutes to readjust before redressing in her jersey and shorts and stomping back to her room. She saw Lucy, sitting on her own bed flipping the pages of her poetry book, smiling.

"Lucy, you little-"

"Come dear sister," She stated, cutting her off again, "I have something that I think you should see."

"I don't need to see anything!" Lynn growled, "you promised you weren't going to make fun of me, then you pull that digusting shit!"

"What made it disgusting?"

"That's our brother!"

"He wasn't in the scenario."

"I still pictured him doing all," She shook uncontrollably, "of that disgusting shit!"

"Funny," Lucy smiled, "I don't ever recall telling you to picture Lincoln. Just a neighbor."

Lynn froze, "I-I'm pretty sure you did..."

"I said imagine a where Lincoln didn't exist. So why is it you pictured him instead of some physically attractive, sporty, and muscular Adonis?"

Lynn wasn't dense, she came to a sudden realization when confronted with this that may have flown over someone of Leni's caliber, but not her. She was physically attracted to Lincoln. She could only imagine him in that scenario when she knew the inevitable outcome would be Lucy trying to convince her she would be attracted to someone who did all the stuff her younger brother had for her with no strings attached. Lucy was right. Lynn was in love with her younger brother.

"Oh my God..." she muttered in disbelief, and looked to her younger sister, "I... am I sick?"

Lucy smiled, her smiles all looked the same to Lynn but she could feel warmth behind it, "I really think you should see this."

Lynn was unable to protest any longer. She approached her sister and was handed the book. She read page after page. Poems about white rabbits, about the light and the dark, about twisted romance, and about how unfair societal taboos are. It didn't take long for her to realize what the poems were about. By the time she fully grasped the meaning she had turned the page to a newer poem.

The Darkness embraces the light

The light shrinks away from her

She feels his futile fight,

Yet his warmth is what she yearns for,

She feels it only briefly

Tell she envelopes him again,

Feeling him inside completely

Tell he drips from her within,

His gentle caress eluding,

The Darkness begs for it evermore

She comes upon him brooding,

His acceptance she'd adore,

Yet the dangers of their dance

Cause fear in her by night,

For if they were found by chance

What would happen to the light?

Even Lynn could feel the sexual undertones in the poem and slowly turned her head to her sister, eyes wide and jaw slack, "T-this is all... fantasy... r-right?"

Lucy turned her head away from Lynn, "Sometimes from fear I yearn for when it was."

"W-what did he do to you?!"

"Nothing, dear sister," Lucy stated before correcting her, "It was I who did to him."

"Y-you-"

"Our dear... dearest brother. Such a busybody, naive to the dangers of women and the heart. I cast a spell and attacked him in the night. He refuses to do the same to me. I always initiate, but he never denies me. I feel terrible for it, not just because I know he's only doing it for me, but also because I know if we were ever caught they would blame him... and he'd readily accept the blame."

Lynn felt anger, disgust, and so much jealousy, "Lucy! How could you?!"

She stared at her feet, "I was weak... He wouldn't quit pestering me. I don't blame him. He was worried because I had been closing myself off to the world. The warmth from his hug, the softness from his lips, and the love he had for me. I snapped, and I'm still snapped. Every time I crave it my brain turns off and I run to him."

"Ever heard of self control?!"

"I... You'd have to do it yourself in order to understand. Every time I see him playing with Lily, every time he helps one of us at the cost of his own sanity, every time one of you make fun of him for covering my darkest hobby... I lose myself."

"Your darkest hobby?"

"Focus Lynn!" Lucy parried the question, gripping her sister's cheeks, "I want to protect him from myself, but running away from home would only make him blame himself. So I need to find a way to protect him from the consequences of my actions."

"So what? You come to me, convince me I'm in love with my own brother, and drop all this shit on me, why? So I'll protect you from what'll happen if someone finds you?! I can't believe I'm hearing this!"

"I'm not asking you to protect me," she grabbed Lynn's hands, "I'm asking you to join me. I'm willing to give up exclusivity for his safety. You need him as much as I do. He remains safe and sound... in our arms. It's a win, win, win."

Lynn wanted to say something, but her mind was a storm that she couldn't catch a single Idea from. Was she offering to allow her to sleep with Lincoln as a peace offering? Did she just manipulate her feelings just so she had a chance to get Lynn on board with her sick games? Why had her anger subsided when Lucy had offered her chance... with Lincoln. She didn't particularly care for this new sensation, but she knew she needed one answer.

"Why? Why now?" she finally asked.

Lucy looked away, "Lori found out. I was certain it was all over," she turned back to Lynn, "But as it turns out we aren't the only ones with this... attraction. Because of that I learned Lisa knows as well."

Lynn cocked an eyebrow, then her eyes went wide, "W-with Lincoln?!"

Lucy nodded, "I think she was under the influence of alcohol, but I think her efforts may have... stuck."

Lynn covered her mouth, "S-so..."

"That's irrelevant right now. What is relevant is that I was sloppy. I put our dearest brother at risk... I'm not willing to do that again. If mother and father were to ever find out... I fear the worst."

Lynn looked down, finally grasping the gravity of the situation. She began thinking about what would happen to Lincoln if Lucy was right. He could go to Juvie, or worse. She then thought of the alternative. Stopping people from getting to interested in what goes on behind closed doors... finding out what goes on behind those closed doors herself. Her mouth went dry as she remembered the thought exercise Lucy had put her through, this time with no unnecessary changes to reality. Her and Lincoln wrestling on their yard. Lincoln slamming her into the grass and pinning her. Her wrapping her legs around him. Him kissing her. Licking down her neck. Maybe cheekily sliding a hand up her jersey. Her chiding him playfully before doing he same to him.

"Lynn," Lucy called, snapping her from her fantasy

"Huh?!"

Lucy smiled, "You're drooling."

She quickly wiped her mouth and shook her head, "I..."

"You?"

"I'll do it... for Lincoln."

Lucy nodded in agreement, "for Lincoln."

It didn't take long for them to work out a plan. Lucy had no issues running interference for the night. She would be able to see and hear everything from her vents. All Lynn had to do was wait for her chance. She waited until Lincoln went into his room, defeated in his attempts to talk to Lori. She cracked his door enough to see that he had began stripping down to his underwear in order to read his comics, an avoidance from the weird reality he now found himself in. It felt different now, looking at him in his half naked state. She never really understood why him being in his state began bothering her so much, but now it all made sense. She was beginning to understand Lucy's issue. But she had to be patient, like when playing soccer.

"Hey Linc," Lucy had passed her the ball, "would you mind if I... stay in here tonight?"

Lynn was winding up for the kick, she shoots, "S-sure Lynn," he answered hesitantly.

Goal.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucy had already set her plans in motion. Luan was back from a two day trip to a comedy club in southern Wisconsin and was beginning preparations to, 'greet,' her brother, writing different pranks on a sheet of paper. She was happy to see that the house hadn't been burned down by Lori. What she hadn't expected was her to see them watching TV with Lori's arms around him from behind the sofa, her chin resting on the top of his head. But Lori wasn't going to stop her from having him... no matter how terrifying she was. Lucy quietly slid behind her while she was deeply engrossed in choosing a method.

"Already did licking lemon meringue pie off of his lips... did the old spilled drink on his pants gag... maybe I could combine those."

"Luan."

"GAH!" The comedian nearly jumped out of our skin, "Lucy! You want to do a seance to continue the conversation..."

Lucy smiled, "I wouldn't mind that."

Luan crossed her arms, "Not a 'ghost' of a chance I would speak to you after scaring me to actual death," she smiled, "get it?"

Lucy sat silently for a moment, "We need to talk for a second."

"Alright," she nodded, "Lay it on me, the anticipation is, 'killing me.'"

"Liby and Lyra were the reason Loan found out."

"What?!" Luan turned rapidly, "My Liby?! I thought she was smarter than that!"

"I don't know the details," Lucy admitted, "But her and Lyra have been avoiding Lincoln. I think you might need to talk to her before she can find a way to brow beat our dearest brother into submission."

Luan looked at the sheet of paper and sighed, "I guess this can wait."

Luan walked away and Lucy smiled, "One."

There were only three other adults in the house besides her and Lynn. Lana had been occupied with fixing the door that Liby and Darna had been stuck in, so that took care of her for the next hour or so. Leni would be easy, so that one could be last. That only left Lori. She found Lori waiting for her in the hall, arms crossed.

"Gasp," Lucy monotonously bellowed.

Lori sneered, "I know what you're doing."

"I don't believe I know what you're talking about, dear sister."

She smiled, "Lincoln and I have been doing a lot of catching up. He told me about how you like to sneak around and set traps for people to get time alone with him," she smiled, "He's mine for the week, Lucy. You were the one who talked me into this, suffer the consequences."

Lucy shook her head, "Dear sister... you think so little of my methods?"

Before she could retort, Reina hollared from upstairs, "Aunt Lori! Loan and Bobby are locked in her bedroom!"

"Wait... she doesn't have a lock on her bedroom door," Lori's eyes widened, "You didn't!"

Lucy smiled, "I don't know what you mean."

Lori growled, as she ran up the stairs. Lori wasn't the only one astute enough to realize her daughters proclivity. Lucy had given her a deadbolt to install on her door for privacy before telling her that Bobby was coming home earlier than Reina today due to Reina's club activities. She was also the one who distracted Lori as Bobby walked upstairs. Loan was far weaker than her mother and far more repressed, but she probably didn't have enough time to actually sink her claws into her brother... not yet anyway. Lucy felt that it was an inevitability, but Lori certainly felt like she could prevent it and either save her daughter, nephew, or both and she knew exactly how she was going to try to prevent it while she was gone.

"Another thing she's going to push off on Lincoln when she leaves I'm sure... sigh," Last but not least, "Leni! I'm thinking about getting a new dress! Do you have anything in mind?!"

"Oh-Em-Gee!" she heard a call from upstairs before seeing her bubbly older sister practically sprinting towards her, "I have so many looks that I've been dying for you to try! Black with pastel is so in right now!"

Lucy winced, "Lynn definitely owes me for this."

She reluctantly followed her sister up the stairs, leaving Lynn alone, hiding in the apartment adjacent to Luan's. She was shaking with excitement as she exited the front door and began climbing the stairs. Her head was spinning with all the... moves she wanted to execute on her brother. So much so she barely noticed that she was turning his doorknob. There he was, just like that night, in his underwear reading comics.

"Oh! Hey Lynn," he smiled, glancing up from his comic, "What's up?"

She licked her lips and grinned, "I hope you'll put up a fight..."

Lincoln tensed up when she said that, "Uh oh..."

All of the thoughts she had while walking up the stairs were out the window as she dove for her younger brother.